"To excel at the highest level - or any level, really -

you need to believe in yourself,

and hands down, one of the biggest contributors to my self-confidence

has been private coaching." 

- Stephen Curry

Mujeres y Allies,

Throughout any career, there can be times when we hit a rough patch and feel like we are going nowhere fast. We may have a boss that just doesn’t see our potential, a team that cannot get along, or a client with impossible expectations.  Even if you have a personal board of advisors or a strong support network of BFFs, there are times when a career coach is the ideal step to get through the rough patch or to strategize on how to move to the next level or make a career change. While coaching is extremely common, Latinas and Latinos may find it hard to ask for help because our culture gives mixed messages about seeking help.  We may believe our sole source of support should be our immediate family or that problems go away if we just don’t talk about them. It’s part of our faith in family and our values in stoicism and resiliency. This week’s #3LVCareerHacks is about how to find and select a coach to support you with career challenges.

Uno, dos, y tres. Let’s do this con ganas!

Executive coaching is a $1B industry in the US today.  Since there are no specific licenses that are required to be a coach, anyone can start a coaching practice. Be sure to review a coach's qualifications to be a coach. The International Coach Federation offers certifications for coaches and professionals who have gone through any of the ICF programs typically are a safe bet.  The biggest factor however, is experience. Before selecting a coach, define the issue you want to address and ask candidates if they have personal experience working on this issue.  Ask for a free initial assessment and check for references. Review the coach’s LinkedIn profile to see their own career history. Your coach should have at a minimum 4 - 7 years of experience with the worklife themes you want to address.

Working with a coach is more than just meeting to talk about the issue.  A great career coach will create a learning path for you that includes professional readings, journaling exercises, or assignments to help you work through your career or worklife challenge.  These need to be tailored to your needs. Some career challenges may require personality or leadership profiles like the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Firo-B, the DiSC that can provide insights on your work style. Another step that coaches may take is to interview your peers or your boss to get a 360 degree view of the work issues you are addressing.  Make sure your coach crafts the right approach for your needs.

Make sure your coach provides a specific contract and that there are clear confidentiality standards to protect your conversations.  Look at setting some time boundaries--most professional coaches set a 3 - 6 month time frame to work with a client. Beyond six months, a coach will have limits in seeing the issues you face with a fresh perspective.  Coaches are valuable because of their experience to get to the heart of the matter quickly and for the ability to see the issues you face through an independent lens. And most importantly, a coach will not try to be your therapist--unless of course they are licensed for this work.  If your coach starts to counsel on marriage issues, panic attacks, your early childhood trauma, or other post traumatic stress issues, for example---this is not the domain of career coaching. This is best handled by a therapist and a good coach will help you find that kind of support.

That’s it. #3LVCareerHacks on finding a coach to support your worklife success.

This week we are delighted to welcome Tammy Ramos, JD as our new Director of Coaching Programs!  If this column resonated for you and you want to learn more about her own coaching experience and the programs she wants to build, be sure to see this link on our website. Give us a shout at @savvylatinainfo if you have a comment on this newsletter.

Live Your VIDA with Intention! 

--Abrazos,

Your LV Familia!

P. S. Remember, here are the other LatinaVIDA resources for you:

• Evernote Notebook of Curated Work-Life Resources, Readings and Tips

• Join our Private Facebook Group

• LatinaVIDA360 Podcast Latina Leaders in Conversation and NEW Career Power Hacks

• Our #Slack Community to Share Experiences with LatinaVIDA Circle Guide

• Past #3LVCareerHacks Newsletters (please share with friends and family)

• Latina Cubicle Confidential: A Personal Blog from our Co-Founders

RESOURCES